Taliban Deploys Suicide Squad On The Afghan-China Border

Afghanistan’s Taliban regime has reportedly deployed a suicide squad near the border with China and Tajikistan. According to the deputy governor of Badakhshan province, the battalion has been named ‘Lashkar-e-Mansoori.’

The Taliban leader said that the battalion has been deployed in the region that borders Tajikistan and China. It’s reportedly the same squad that had also conducted suicide attacks against the previous Afghan government. The Taliban leader claimed that the suicide bomber battalion was instrumental in the Taliban’s victory over the US.

The deputy governor of Badakhshan, Mullah Nisar Ahmad Ahmadi said that, “The defeat of the US would not be possible without this battalion. These brave men would wear explosive waistcoats and would detonate the US bases in Afghanistan. These are people with no fear who devote themselves for the consent of Allah.”

The deputy governor of Badakhshan, Mullah Nisar Ahmad Ahmadi

A Taliban spokesperson has said that the future army of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) will include a special battalion of suicide attackers. Afghanistan’s deputy minister of information and culture said that the suicide unit will be active under the ministry of defense. The Taliban official added that the suicide Battalion will be part of the Taliban’s special forces. Earlier, the Taliban had announced the formation of another battalion called Badri 313.

Badri 313 is one of the most equipped and modern military groups deployed at the Kabul International Airport. In October 2021, a video of “suicide bombers” parading at an undisclosed location emerged out of Afghanistan. The video which was aired on Afghan National Television showed masked men carrying the Taliban flag. The parade showcased everything from suicide vests, explosives, guns, rockets, mines, car bombs, and yellow barrels. Suicide attacks were a key tactic for the Taliban during its 20 year-long offensive against the US. The group first embrace the practice in 2003 as they launched an insurgency campaign against US forces. According to a 2021 case study, the group has since claimed more suicide bombings than any other terrorist outfit in history.

Experts see the formation of an official suicide battalion as a firm message to the US and its allies. However, experts warn that the Taliban’s renewed interests in suicide bombers could backfire the insurgents-turned-rulers could erode whatever little trust they may have gained globally after assuming charge of Afghanistan. The Taliban regime is in desperate need of economic support to run the Afghan economy and prevent a humanitarian crisis. The Taliban regime is also seeking global recognition so that it can get the resources and help needed to govern Afghanistan.

The Taliban is not the only group that is deploying suicide bombers within Afghanistan. In late August, an ISIS-K suicide bomber killed 200 people at Hamid Karzai International Airport Afghanistan has been rocked by a string of suicide bombings that have killed scores of civilians. Most of these suicide attacks have been claimed by ISIS-K with minorities as the main target. The rising incidents of suicide attacks have cast a shadow over the Taliban’s promise of security and their ability to govern. On December 23, Kabul police said they shot dead a would-be suicide bomber outside Kabul’s main passport office. Experts claim the Taliban may use some of its suicide bombers against Islamic state targets.